[alistairSH]

I get more social value from the scarf by being seen as more generous, without actually spending more money, so I can pretending to be rich while being a cheap asshole!

Um, not necessarily. This assumes the receiver has no concept of the giver’s budget, which is rarely true. And also assumes the receiver cares about the cash value of the gift receives, instead of either the motivation for giving or the utility of the item.

This whole post stuck me as borderline disordered. Is this really the way rich people think? Sounds miserable to go through life being so calculating about everything. I’m “rich” by many measures (but nowhere near senior FAANG engineer rich) and I’d much rather just enjoy the life I’ve fallen into.

[schneems]

A friend of mine was a rafting tour guide for a summer and one day Warren Buffet and family rode on his raft. Mr. Buffet did not leave a tip.

I’m in a well off place, maybe similar to you, but I think that some ultra rich people fundamentally view money differently than us. It seems that saving money or making money is more of a game to them than the actual utility provided by the money. Somewhat like how even rich celebrities are caught shoplifting.

I’m not sure if (lots of) money does that to people or people who have those impulses are more likely to have money due to being willing to use cut-throat tactics. Maybe if everyone here chips in a few hundred-thousand for a science (me) we can find out.

[lotsofpulp]

I am unaware of tipping customs for a tour guide. I wouldn’t even have cash on me while rafting.

I would have thought paying for the tour pays for the tour guide’s services.

[schneems]

The guides are pretty poorly paid. The companies are banking people who love the sport will do it for cheap, and they do. It’s similar to a ski instructor setup. Sometimes the position will come with room and board to help offset the meagre wages.

When I was a broke college kid I tipped my tour guide $20 (in 2005 dollars). The guide will tell you on the trip to tip them. It would be hard not to know.

Most places where tipping is greatly appreciated take into account things like “didn’t bring my wallet on the raft” and will do things like make sure to say goodbye to the group after the come out of a locker room at the end (for example).

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t an accident. If you were in this situation there are plenty of ways to correct the course.

[lotsofpulp]

> If you were in this situation there are plenty of ways to correct the course.

I don’t like the framing of this. The correct course is for the labor seller to request the amount of money they want from the labor buyer. If you want more money for your labor, just say it up front before the tour starts.

It is unfair to spring a surprise charge on someone after you provide a product/service. I would not do it to any of my customers, since I do not want it done to me. Upfront, transparent pricing is how a proper business works.

[schneems]

I feel you’re deliberately missing the point of my story because you personally don’t like tipping.

It’s not a surprise it’s *expected* in that industry. It’s common knowledge. I provided evidence of this above that you’ve chosen to ignore.

It is somewhat funny that in a story with a billionaire and someone struggling to make a living wage, to you, the person being treated unfairly is the billionaire.

[lotsofpulp]

> It’s not a surprise it’s expected in that industry. It’s common knowledge. I provided evidence of this above that you’ve chosen to ignore.

We will have to agree to disagree. In general, I think it is unfair to judge anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, for abiding by the explicit terms of a business transaction.

If neither party is under duress, then the seller needs to state their price upfront before providing a product or service, otherwise, it seems stupid to judge a buyer for agreeing to the price.

[seoulmetro]

>If you were in this situation there are plenty of ways to correct the course.

He is correcting the course. The course of the silliness required to expect people to tip for everything because your contract with your employer is bad.

[schneems]

You’ve chosen to miss the point of my story to go on a personal rant against tipping. In the process you’ve also decided that the billionaire needs defending more than the person struggling to make a living wage.

[seoulmetro]

Yes... I commented on the part of your story I wanted to comment on. What's your point?

I didn't decide anything about billionaires anywhere. But if that's the story that keeps you being silly then so be it.

[alistairSH]

Tipping tour guides is normal in many places. It certainly is in the US and Peru.

[seoulmetro]

This post is trying to be smarter than it is. But there are huge "plot" holes in the events that basically make this just a neat napkin trick.